A/PPS 06.01 - Media Relations

Media Relations

As intercollegiate Department of Athletics at an NCAA Division I FBS institution, the events and activities of Texas State University athletics program are of special interest to the public. The Department of Athletics depends upon the Sports Information Office to publicize information regarding all intercollegiate sports teams in a professional manner, creating both interest and support for the intercollegiate athletics program. The Texas State Sports Information Office serves as the intermediary between the school’s athletics teams and local, regional and national media outlets.

RESPONSIBILITES

The Assistant Athletic Director-Sports Information and Assistant Sports Information Directors members will: Write, edit and publish athletically related news releases, event programs and annual sports brochures; Compile and disseminate statistical information and other requested material to the NCAA, Sun Belt Conference and governing bodies of individual sports in a timely manner; Create and update information on the Athletic Department’s website and social media pages; Respond to inquiries from the media in a timely manner; Coordinate all requests from media outlets (e.g., radio, television and newspaper reporters) for information and interviews with athletic administrators, coaches and student-athletes; Coordinate photography sessions for each sports team and distribute photographs as allowed by the University, Sun Belt Conference and NCAA; Help student-athletes gain postseason academic and athletic honors; Develop working relationships with local, regional and national media and provide information including feature ideas in a timely manner; Maintain accurate historical files on the university’s athletic program including statistical records and images; and keep the university’s media relations staff informed in an effort to keep other university publics aware of events and activities.

LOCAL MEDIA

Appropriate cultivation and stewardship of the media will be handled by the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information. This includes, but is not limited to media days, media luncheons, banquets or dinners, and public relations visits.

INTERVIEW POLICIES

Texas State University’s Department of Athletics will make every effort to coordinate interviews between the media and its student-athletes and coaching staff. Dependent on practice schedules, student-athletes and coaches will be available prior to or at the conclusion of practice. Interviews can also be set up during the day when possible around the class schedule and meeting schedule of student-athletes and coaches.

Phone interviews with student-athletes and coaches can also be arranged around class and meeting schedules and should be requested well in advance. No telephone interviews are permitted on game days.

Following events, each sport’s coach and selected student-athletes will be made available to answer questions from the media after a brief 10-minute cooling off period. Media may request particular players for post-game interviews.

EVENT CREDENTIALS

Credentials for Texas State University home games are issued for working media only for a legitimate news organization and should be requested 48 hours in advance of an event. Texas State University’s sports information staff will adhere to policies in place by the NCAA when it comes to credentialing members of the media. Credentials for Athletics events are granted to those members of the media (reporters, photographers or videographers) from a: daily newspaper or a radio or television station which covers Texas State Athletics or a visiting team on a daily basis; Specialty publication on Texas State or visiting teams; Texas State student newspaper or radio station; Website of participating institutions; Agencies engaged by Texas State to record the event; Representatives of radio, television and cablecast networks given rights to televise a contest on a national or regional basis; Other media outlets approved based upon proximity to the Texas State campus, circulation, subject to availability, or a member of Texas State Athletics.

Credentials are not issued to any individual not serving in an assigned working capacity for a legitimate news organization (e.g., a photographer working on a portfolio is not provided with press credentials).

Photographers and videographers will be requested to comply with the guidelines set forth by the NCAA on photographing and shooting video at events. They will be made aware of and expected to stay away from off limit areas to the media (i.e. team locker rooms and offices, training rooms and other team areas).

Requests made for scouting purposes should be made in advance to the Texas State University Sports Information Office and must conform to NCAA policies.

RADIO BROADCASTS

Learfield’s Texas State Sports Properties owns the media rights for Texas State Athletics. The official flagship stations 2016-17 are 1300 The Zone and KTSW (89.9 FM). Radio contact requests and information should be directed to the General Manager of Texas State Sports Properties. Stations designated as “official” by visiting opponents will be provided a courtesy telephone line, ISDN line or Ethernet connection on press row or in the press box. Additional broadcast needs are dependent on availability and charges may apply.

PUBLICATIONS

The Sports Information Office will coordinate, edit and distribute publications and news releases to both print and electronic media. All media guides and brochures are the copyrighted property of Texas State Athletics and the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information has final authority on all brochures and publications. All media guides and other departmental publications should be approved by the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Sport Administrators before going to print.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT / SPECIAL ISSUES

The Director of Athletics is the front-line spokesperson on any Department of Athletics issues which may become public through media coverage. All athletic administrative staff and coaches should first direct any media to the Director of Athletics via the Sports Information Office. Under no circumstances should an athletic staff member, head coach or student-athlete make any sort of comment regarding a crisis situation without direction from the Director of Athletics.

REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

Position

Date

Director, Athletics

November 1 E3Y

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State Athletics policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.